Improvement in balance steam-engines



J. 0. BAIR'D. Balance Steam-Engine.

No. 218,818. Patented June 24,1879.

1, INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERs, Puo rD-LITHOGRAPHER, wAsmNGTON. D 2y pistons, piston-rods,and cranks.

UNITED STATES? PATENT OFFICEc t JAMES O. BAIRD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK,ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND JOSEPH BOYOE, OF SAME PLACE.

`IMPROVEMENT IN BALANCE STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 216,818, dated June 24,1879; application filed January 7, 1879.

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES O. BAIRD, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kingsand State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Balance Steam-Engine, of which the following is aspecication.

Figure l is a vertical section of the engine through line e c, showingthe three cylinders, Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line w w, showingsteamentrance and cross-section of that part ofsteamvalve pertaining tothe central and larger cylinder. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line as 5vthrough cylinders, steam-chest, and steamvalves. Fig. 4 is a section onlineyythrough that part of steam-valve and steam-passages pertainingtosmall cylinder. Fig. 5 is a section on line z c, giving a longitudinalsection of steam-valve.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. 4

This invention has for its object the construction of an engine with twoor more cylinders with pistons working alternately and havingindependent connections with the crankshaft, so that a balance isproduced in the strains transmitted to the crank at all points, and, inconnection with the engine, a balance steam-valve of peculiarconstruction and etticiency. p

In the drawings, A is the frame of the engine, supporting threecylinders-B, the larger on e, and C and C', the smaller oneswhich arepreferably made in one casting. The area of the larger piston, b', isequal to the area of the smaller pistons, c and c, combined, andconsequently its force transmitting power is equal. l

The cross-heads run in grooved slides,which afford ample bearings, asshown atD D D, and are secured in the usual way to connectingrods E E E,which connect with crank-shaft F, as shown, the central connecting-rodpertaining to the larger cylinder being set thereon in a directionopposite to that of the connecting-rods of the side cylinders.

The two pistons C" and C' descend and rise simultaneously under theoperation of the direct pressure of the admitted steam, alternating intheir' movement with the larger piston, b. The result of this alternateaction of the pistonsl is to produce la balance in the strainstransmitted to the crank at all points, so, in fact, that the engine maybe run with the caps removed from the crank-shaft bearings.

While in the ordinary balance-engine the adjustment of connectingrodbrasses is extremely difficult, on account of one piston being connectedto two cranks, (thereby in effect forming a forked connecting-rod,) thisdifficulty is entirely overcome by the independent connecting-rods, andthe adjustment rendered simple and easy.

The independent connection also permits each piston to he taken ont forinspection or repair withoutinterfern gwith theother orothers. Thiscannot be done in the ordinary balanceengine without disconnecting thewhole engine. It is designed by this arrangement to make the forcesexerted on opposite cranks equal.

It will be observed that the arrangement of the cylinders securesbearings for the cranks and cross-heads, which are very much larger thanthose of any other balance-engine-an advantage of great importance inthe matters of smooth running and durability.

The length of the crank-bearings, it is evident, depends upon thedistance between the centers of the outside cranks. Let us take the caseof the ordinary balance-engines having two pistons in one cylinder. Thecylinder being tive and one-half inches in diameter, the greatestdistance between the centers of the outside cranks will be four andone-fourth inches, while inthe case of the three-cylinder balance-enginethe distance will be eleven inches, or more than two and one-half timesas long 5 and in a two-cylinder engine of this design they would beseven inches, ample bearings for crank -bearings of engines designed formany purposes.

The matter of long bearings is very important when the high speed atwhich the balance-engine is designed to run is considered.

The iiaring mouth of the induction-pipe Gr fits closely over the valveH, and conveys the..

'the piston, while the steam under the piston escapes through the lowerport, as indicated by an arrow, into the exhaust-chamber N,

Vwhence it-nally escapes, as indicated.

In Fig. 4 the valve is shown in position for steam to enter under one ofthe small pistons,

while from above the exhaust escapes through the central passage, 0,into and out of exhaustchamber, as indicated.

In Fig. 5 the steam-passages of the valve are indicated by letters s ss, while the exhaust es y capes into exhaust-chamber at P I) I?.

The peculiar form of the passages in the valve allows of simple andstraight ports in the cylinders, making the casting of the cylinders aneasy operation, while the casting of an ordinary balanced enginescylinders is an extremelyv difficult matter, because of the intricatesteam-passages.

It is obvious that this style of valve and steam-ports is also welladapted to a two-cylinder balanced engine with pistons .workingalternately, as described, and that a two-cylinder balanced engine ofthis general design and constructed on this principle would possess manyadvantages over all other balanced engines.

I am aware that others have designed engines of two or more cylinders,some of which l QIGQSRS have two pistons in one cylinder, and. in someof which the steam is used directly in one or more ofthe cylinders andeXpansively in the other or others; and my attention has been directedto the inventions of Mr. George L. Washburn, of Worcester,Massachusetts, one of which relates to the arrangement of cylinders andsteam-ports, so that the steam after being used on one side of a givenpiston is permitted to iiow to the other side of the same piston and toanother cylinder to be usedexpansively, and the other of which isapeculiar ar'- rangement of two cylinders with single-acting pistons anda larger cylinder with a doubleacting piston, upon whose sides the steamVfrom the other cylinders is used eXpansively.

Not only is the arrangement of my cylinders and steam-ports radicallydifferent, as herein shown, from those of Washburn or any others, sothat by it heretofore unknown advantages in construction and workinghave been secured, but the desirable eii'ects obtained'by otherpeculiarities of my construction do not result from any otherconstruction with which I am acquainted.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- A The combination of two cylinders, C C',having pistons of equal diameter, with a cylinder, B, whose piston isdouble either ofthe others in cross-sectional area, operated alternatelytherewith and connected with thev same crankshaft, but to a crankdiametrically opposite those oi' the smaller pistons, constructed andarranged as and for the purpose describedi JAMES O. BAIRD.

Witnesses:

C. Suns-WICK, I. I. S'roRER.

